On
6 September 1915, he was acting as observer to Flt Sub-Lt Mulock, when they
sighted and attacked a submarine seven miles North of Ostend, one of the first,
if not the first attack made ona
submarine by a British aircraft.

He gained
RAeC Certificate No 5732 on 1 March 1918.

With
the Italian attack on Greece in 1940 D'Albiac found himself promoted to Air Vice
Marshal and appointed commander of the meagre air forces in Greece.These forces consisting of 80 aircraft against approximately 800 German
and 300 Italian machines.His return to Palestine was short-lived as he was almost
immediately posted to Iraq following the premature removal of AVM Smart as a
result of the 'Battle of Habbaniya'.However, he almost didn't make it as the aircraft
transporting him Blenheim IV (T1820) swung on take-off from Lydda and hit a
steam roller, killing an Arab workman.

Within
a month of assuming command in Ceylon, he was faced with an attempted assault on
the island by the Japanese Navy.To combat this assault of over 300 carrier borne aircraft, he
had a force of 50 Hurricanes, 14 Blenheims, six Catalina’s and some Fulmars of
the FAA.Heavily outnumbered, his
forces successfully fought off the Japanese, who never again ventured into the
Indian Ocean in any force.Having
formed the new 2nd Tactical Air Force, he found himself replaced by Arthur
Coningham six months later.After
retiring from Heathrow he became Deputy Chairman of the Air Transport Advisory
Council retiring in 1961.

Citation for the award of the
Distinguished Service Order

“Lieutenant John Henry D’Albiac, R.M.A.

In recognition of his services as an aeroplane
observer at Dunkirk since February,1915. During the
past year Lieutenant D’Albiac has been continually employed in coastal
reconnaissances and fighting patrols. The Vice-Admiral Commanding the Dover
Patrol, in reporting on the work of the R.N.A.S. at Dunkirk, lays particularemphasis on the good work done by the observers.”